Newbie

[Natsers80]

Hello fellow diabetics, I am a newbie to this forum (please be gentle),
I am type 2 since 2017 not overweight when diagnosed but have become since diagnosis. I also have RA, ME POTs and use a wheelchair for distance which makes it hard to exercise due to the crashes.
I have just had a heart attack 4 weeks ago and my diabetes has been uncontrolled on tablets so I have been switched to insulin.
I take Lantus 44 in the morning and 22 units at night and Novarapid 6 (breakfast) 4(lunch) 8(tea).
My sugars are still so uncontrolled I peak massively after eating even though I am injecting 20 mins before meals, but I always seem to be starting from a high place 12/14mmol sometimes I make it down to 9 if I don't eat for hours at a time.
Since my heart attack I have changed my diet, I don't have fizzy drinks, sweets, cakes etc.
I am so disheartened, I am starving all of the time and another stone has gone on since starting the insulin in just 4 weeks.
My mental health has taken a massive toll and I feel guilty eating anything, I am not sure what I am asking maybe just need a bit of a hand hold but I feel like the injecting and monitoring has taken over my life along with all the other health issues.
I am 42 and feel 90 :-(

 

[Inka]

Welcome @Natsers80 Sorry to hear about your medical challenges. That must all be very hard and very wearing.

With insulin, I do think the first few months are hard. All the monitoring, calculating and injecting seems relentless. It does gradually get easier though, month by month. If you’ve only been on insulin a short time, it’s very possible that your doses might need adjusting gradually to find what works for you best, so don’t be too disheartened.

How much do you spike (peak) after a meal - ie do you go from 12 to 20, or 12 to 14, or 12 to 23 or whatever?

 

[Natsers80]

Welcome @Natsers80 Sorry to hear about your medical challenges. That must all be very hard and very wearing.

With insulin, I do think the first few months are hard. All the monitoring, calculating and injecting seems relentless. It does gradually get easier though, month by month. If you’ve only been on insulin a short time, it’s very possible that your doses might need adjusting gradually to find what works for you best, so don’t be too disheartened.

How much do you spike (peak) after a meal - ie do you go from 12 to 20, or 12 to 14, or 12 to 23 or whatever?

Thank you I go from about 12/14 up to 19/20 and it takes about 4 hours for it reduce back down to 12 again. I am also getting my head around the diet side of things and having to reduce my carbs a lot. It just seems like it’s taking over sometimes

 

[Lucyr]

Thank you I go from about 12/14 up to 19/20 and it takes about 4 hours for it reduce back down to 12 again

Insulin takes 4 hours to work fully, so if you start at 12 and get back to 12 after 4 hours it sounds like your mealtime insulin is correct for the food, it’s just the starting bg or correction that needs addressing

 

[Inka]

Thank you I go from about 12/14 up to 19/20 and it takes about 4 hours for it reduce back down to 12 again. I am also getting my head around the diet side of things and having to reduce my carbs a lot. It just seems like it’s taking over sometimes

Ok, so that sounds fairly reasonable apart from your starting blood sugar. Do you wake high? Or does the high happen after breakfast then stay for the rest of the day?

 

[Natsers80]

Thank you guys, diabetes nurse is upping my basal in the morning to 48 units and she is trying to get me started on a different one with a different profile that I only have to take niece once a day. Fingers crossed xxx